Door check structure



May 9, 1950 P. H. TRAVIS ET AL DOOR CHECK STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 7, 1947 INVENTORS PAUL H.TRAV|S HOWARD M. DAVIDSON ATTO NEYS May 9, 1950 P. H. TRAVIS ET AL 2,507,389

DOOR CHECK STRUCTURE Filed April '7, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG].

IN V EN TORS PAUL H.TRAV|S By HOWARD MADAVIDSON r/ ATToRREYs Patented May 9, 1950 Paul H. .T-rav-is, Leonard, and" Howard. M. Davidson, Detroit, Mich; said Davidson assignor; to

said Travis Application'A'pril '7, 1947; Serial'No'. 739,742..

. 10. Claims.

Thissinventionrelate generally toydoor check structures: andrefers. more; particularly to; concealed typestructures having. means for releas-.-

ably holding; or retaining. the door. in openposi tion'so that it. will not accidentally swing toward closed. positionafterbeing checked. I

Oneof the: essential objects of the invention. is to provide a door check structure wherein a rigid. elongated arm carries. both the means: for checking theopening swinging movement ofthe.- door and-the means for: holding. or" retaining; the door-in its-:open position;

Another object is: to provide a. door check. structure. wherein the; rigid. elongated arm. is; movable-lengthwisetln'ough. a closed loop within andrigidwith thehingezpillar during botnopeneing-and closing swingingmovement ofthe door; The meansfor checking the opening, swinging. movement of thedoor is-engageable with a; sup-- port for said loop whenithe door reaches-a pre- 1 determinedopen position. Themeans. for hold ing-or retaining the door; insaid open position. isOperabl-e to springmutwardlyover opposite side portionsofr said loop and :then snap inwardly. into.

gripping engagement. with opposite sides of. said.

ient' element" for cushioning. orabsorbingrthe shockof checking-theopeningmovement of the door. I 7

Anotheraobjeot is to providea door check .struc ture wherein therholdingzor retaining means-in. cludesa yieldable:- brake operable in advance: of;

said checking means to slow up the. opening.

movementof the door: before itis checked; I

Another object is to provide a door checkstr-uca ture that is operable; without rattling or.v setting upobjectionable-noises. I I I Another object is-to. providea dooreheekstructure that. is-strong-andzdurable andis capable ofz withstanding without injury thereto the; shocks andsstrains 1 to which it. is .subj ected. while-in. use. Another object is -.to. provide a.door-check struc ture that is simple. in. construction. esconomical to manufacture. easy.- toinstall, and. efflci'entdn. operation. I I I Other-objects, advantages. andnoveldetails of constructionof this. invention wilhbe mademore apparent as thisdescription proceeds, especially when. considered in connection. with. the accompanying. drawings, .wherein: I

Fig. 1 is. a. fragmentary horizontal. sectional view through a, swinging door, supportin'ghinga 2. pillar therefor and doorcheckstructure embody.- ing our invention; andshowing. thearrangement... of parts when the. door. isin. its fullyopened. checked position; I

Fig. 2 is a View similar to. Fig.1 but showing.

the doorin fully:closed-position;

' Fig. 3is.a fragmentary verticalsectionalview. through the hinge. pillar,- reinforcement and. door-v check structure when the door.- is in open posi tionas illustrated in Eig. 1;

Fig. 4' is a view similar toF'ig. 3fhut showing: the position of parts when the door is. in. partially. open position; I

Fig. 5 is .asectional. view takensubstantia-lly.

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of.a slight modi fication; I I

Fig. 7. is a sectional view taken on-the line l.--1-

Of Fig- Fig: 8' is an end view of. theconstruction illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7;:

Fig. 9 is a. fragmentary elevational view. of another modification; I

Fig. 10'is a sectional view taken on the line: ii -Hi of Fig; 9.; I

Fig. 11: isan elevational view ofa. modified. form of mounting. for theclosedloop;

Fig. 12..is an. end view-of the structureillustrated in Fig..1.1;

Fig. 13 is a view similar to Fig; 11 but showing. another modification; I

Fig. 14 is an endview ofthe construction illustrated' in Fig. .13.; I

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary elevational view of a.

. further modification;

Fig. 16 is an endview-of the constructionv i11us-- tra-ted in Fig. 15..

Referring now to" the drawings; A-.is the rigi elongated arm, B is; the door .checkumeans, and Cristhe combination brake" and retaining means of a combination door check: and retainer. em-

bodying our invention. I I I As shown, the arm A is a;- substantially flat metal stamping provided atoneend with .an open 7 ing iiiior a pivot-pinll and.provided-atitsother end with aseementahhead l2. Preferably the portion is of the3arm-A containing-:the-opening. Hi is wider'than. the arm-.proper and formsan enlargement, while the: head It oithe. arm. is likewisewider than the arm proper and forms. an abutment; I I I I The: door check means B-comprisesa cushioningelement I5 andahbacker lfi therefor. As shown, the cushioning element l5 consists of. a cylindrical body of .rubberor rubber compositionand is sleeved upon the arm adjacent the head. i2, while the hacker l6..for: said. cushioningelementis. preferably formedof metal .and is sleeved. on. said arm betweemthe cushioning element 15. anditheheadlz of thearm. P'referaloli the cross sectional area of the enlargement l3 of the arm is such that the cushioning element l and backer i5 therefor may be slipped over the enlargement I3 to assembled position beside the head l2.

The combination brake and retaining means C comprises two spring metal strips II and i8, hereinafter referred to as retention strips, that are identical in construction andare disposed upon and extend longitudinally of opposite sides of the arm A. In Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive such retention strips I! and |8 are riveted at one end to the head i 2 of the arm and extend through the cushioning element l5 and backer it therefor. Preferably these retention strips H and I8 are provided at the outer face of the cushioning element |5 with outwardly arched or bulging portions i9 and 20 and have longitudinally curved end portions 2| and '22 that grip or bear firmly against opposite sides of the arm A in longitudinally spaced relation to the cushioning element 5.

In the present instance we have shown our door check structure in combination with a door D and a hollow hinge pillar E of a motor vehicle. However, it is to be understood that such a door check structure may be used with any form of swinging door and its supporting pillar. As shown, the door check arm A extends substantially horizontally from the door D through a suitable opening 23 in the adjacent wall 24 of the hinge pillar E. The pivot pin H for the arm A is carried by two vertically spaced angle plates 25 fixed to the upright 25 of the door, while the head i2, cushioning element |5, backer l6 and retention springs H and I8 are within the pillar E.

21 is a substantially channel shaped reinforcement for the pillar E and is disposed within the latter. Preferably this reinforcement 21 has lateral flanges 28 and )29 secured to the wall 24 thereof. 3|! is a closed elongated loop type metal guide that is riveted directly to the base iii of the 1 channel reinforcement in registry with an enlarged opening 32 therein. When the parts are assembled the arm A extends through the loop 30, while the retention springs and I8 extend over or straddle said loop.

In use, when the door D is moving toward a predetermined open position, the curved end portions 2| and 22 of the retention strips will first engage the adjacent edges 33 and 34 of the loop 36 to initially slow up or retard such opening movement of the door. During continued opening movement of said door, the curved end portions 2| and 22 of the retention springs will be forced laterally outward by the opposed parallel side portions 35 and 36 of the loop so that said end portions 2| and 22 will ride over said side portions to points beyond the same where the said end portions 2| and 22 will snap inwardly against opposite sides of the arm A to effectively hold the door against accidental closing movement. At about the time the end portions 2| and 22 of the retention springs snap against the arm A as aforesaid, the cushioning element will abut the base 3| of the reinforcement 21 to check the opening movement of the door. Thus, the door will be effectively checked and held in open position. In this connection it will be noted that the cushioning element i5 is upon one side of the base 3| of the reinforcement for checking movement of the door in one direction, while the end portions 2! and 22 of the retention springs are upon the other side thereof for checking movement of the door in the opposite direction when the door is in its fully opened checkedposition. Both the cushioning element l5 and the retention springs i1 and I8 are carried by the arm A and move therewith during movement of the door. It should also be noted that the outwardly arched portions |9 and 20 of the retention springs effectively hold the cushioning element l5 against its backer It, By referring to Figs. 4 and 5 it will also be noted that the cushioning element l5 and backer l6 cooperate with the rivet 31 to hold the retention springs IT and I8 under compression against opposite sides of the arm A.

In Figs. 6 to 8 inclusive we have illustrated a slight modification wherein the retention springs 40 and 4| upon opposite sides of the arm A are connected beyond the adjacent end 42 of said arm by an integral U-shaped portion 43 which straddles said end portion. In this form a cotter pin 44 extends through aligned openings in the arm A and retention springs 40 and 4| in rear of the metal backer 45 for the cushioning element 6 to retain the parts in assembled relation. Otherwise the construction and operation of the parts are the same as in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive.

In Figs. 9 and 10 we have illustrated another modification wherein the retention springs and 5! upon opposite sides of the arm A are connected by an integral U-shaped portion 52 which straddles the adjacent end 53 of the arm, but separate securing elements such as rivets and/or cotter pins similar to those used in the constructions previously described have been dispensed with entirely. In this modification portions 54 and 55 of the retention springs 50 and 5| are pressed inwardly within an opening or hole 56 in the arm A so as to abut an edge of said opening, while other portions 51 and 58 of said springs are pressed outwardly so as to abut the adjacent rear face of the metal backer 59 for the cushioning element 60. Thus the U-shaped portion 52 cooperates with the inwardly pressed portions 54 and 55 just mentioned to hold the retention springs 50 and 51 against displacement from the arm A, and the portions 51 and 58 cooperate with the arched portions 9 and 20 to hold the cushioning element 60 and backer 59 in assembled relation with respect to said springs 50 and 5| and arm A. Otherwise the construction and operation of parts are the same as in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive.

In Figs. 11 and 12 we have illustrated another modification wherein the closed elongated loop I0 is riveted to a separate retainer plate II which in turn may be riveted to the base 3| of the reinforcement for the pillar. The loop 10 is in registration with an enlarged opening 12 in the retainer plate H. Thus, the retention springs l1 and 18 may move through the opening I2 in the plate 1|, while the arm A is moving in the closed loop 10.

In Figs. 13 and 14 we have illustrated another modification wherein an elongated substantially U-shaped metal strap is carried by spaced lugs 8| and 82 of a retainer plate 83. In this construction the legs 84 and 85 of the U extend through and cooperate with the lugs 8| and 82 to form a closed loop for the reception of the arm A. The opening 86 left by the lugs 8| and 82 after they are struck out corresponds to the opening 32 and is adapted to receive the retention springs 11 and I8 when the arm A moves through the loop.

In Figs. 15 and 16 the arm A has a shoulder 90 like the shoulder H but lacks a head such as I2. In this construction the retention springs 9| have complementary heads 92 which serve as stops for the cushioning element 93 and its backing plate 94.

In all forms shown herein .the base 3| of the reinforcement constitutes an abutment for the cushioning element B and is provided with an opening such as 32 or its equivalent for the reception of the arm A and parts carried thereby. In each instance the cushioning element is pref" erably made of rubber or rubber composition, however it is apparent that such element may be made of any suitable material for yieldably cushioning the opening movement of the door. Likewise, the backers such as l6 may be formed of any suitable material to serve efiiciently as backers for the cushioning elements. The arms A are preferably metal stampings, however they too may be any other material having sufficient strength to function properly in the capacity for which they are designed.

What we claim as our invention is:

1. In a door check structure, an elongated rigid arm provided adjacent one end thereof with a hole for a pivot element and provided adjacent its other end with an opening, elongated spring metal strips upon opposite sides of and extending longitudinally of said arm, portions of said strips being struck therefrom into said opening, a connection between said strips straddling said other end of said arm and cooperating with said struck portions to hold said strips against movement longitudinally of said arm, and a resilient cushioning element and backer therefor having register- 5 ing openings receiving said arm and strips, portions of said strips being struck therefrom to serve as abutments for said backer, and other portions of said strips being arched in advance of said element and normally cooperating with said last mentioned struck portions to hold said element and backer against movement longitudinally of said arm, said last mentioned arched portions being compressible toward said arm to permit movement of said element and backer to and from said abutments.

2. In a door check structure, an elongated rigid arm having an opening therein, a resilient cushioning element and a metal backer therefor sleeved upon said arm, elongated retention springs upon opposite sides of and extending longitudinally of said arm, said springs being connected at one end by a U-shaped portion straddling the adjacent end of said arm, and means holding said springs, cushioning element and backer in assembled relation with said arm, including portions of said springs pressed inwardly within the opening in said arm and abutting an edge thereof, and other portions of said springs pressed outwardly and abutting the adjacent rear face of said backer.

3. In a door check structure, an elongated rigid arm having an opening therein, a resilient cushioning element and a backer therefor sleeved upon said arm, retention springs upon opposite sides of and extending longitudinally of said arm, said springs being connected at one end, and means holding said springs, cushioning element and backer in assembled relation with said arm, including portions of said springs pressed inwardly within the opening in said arm and abutting an edge thereof, and other portions of said springs pressed outwardly and abutting said backer.

4. In a door check structure, an elongated rigid arm having an opening therein, a resilient cushioning element and a backer therefor sleeved upon said arm, a retention spring upon one side of and extending longitudinally of said arm, and

means holding said spring, cushioning element and backer in assembled relation with said arm, including a portion of said spring pressed inwardly within the opening in said arm and abutting an edge thereof, and another portion of said spring pressed outwardly and abutting the adjacent rear face of said backer.

5. In a door check structure, an elongated rigid arm having an opening therein, an abutment member on said arm, and means for holding said member against displacement, including a strip extending longitudinally of said arm and having portions overlapping opposite sides of said member, one of said portions being struck outwardly from said stri and engaging said abutment member, and another of said portions engaging the opening in said arm.

6. In a door check structure, an elongated rigid arm, an abutment member on said arm, and means for holding said member against displacement including elongated spring metal strips upon opposite sides of said arm and extending through said member, portions of said strips overlapping opposite sides of said member, said arm having an opening therein, portions of said strips being struck therefrom into said opening, and a connection between said strips engaging an end of said arm.

7 In a door check structure, an elongated rigid arm having an opening therein, a strip extending longitudinally of said arm, an element encircling said arm and strip, means holding said strip against displacement, including a portion of said strip engaging said opening, and means holding said element against displacement, including another portion of said strip engaging said element.

8. In a door check structure, an elongated rigid arm having an opening therein, a strip extending longitudinally of said arm, an element encircling said arm and strip, means holding said strip against displacement, including an inwardly pressed portion of said stri engaging said open ing, and means holding said element against displacement, including an outwardly pressed portion of said strip engaging said element.

9. In a door check structure, an elongated rigid arm having an opening therein, an element encircling said arm, and means for holding said element against displacement, including a strip extending longitudinally of said arm and having oppositely projecting portions respectively engaging said opening and said element.

10. In a door check structure, an elongated rigid arm, an element encircling said arm, and means for holding said element against displacement, including a strip extending longitudinally of said arm and having two oppositely pressed portions,

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 7 Date Number Name 2,232,498 Travis Feb. 18, 1941 2,237,046 Breitenwischer Apr. 1, 1941 

